Feature

“Stories from the Front” highlight practical church rescue ministries in the MARBC

Two practical church ministry breakout sessions were featured at the 2017 MARBC Conference. Titled “Stories from the Front” both sessions featured testimonies from church leaders who have served in integral ways in the rescue of struggling churches.

The Northland/Blythefield Partnership

This report focuses upon how a merger of two MARBC church ministries seeks to impact a community on the north end of Grand Rapids. Pastors Ben Phebus (Northland Baptist Church, Grand Rapids) and Tim Hoyt (Blythefield Hills Baptist Church, Rockford) share the back-story of this strategic relationship.

The Montrose Project

What options are available for a church that is in significant decline? This back-story shares how a healthy sister church offers significant support to a struggling church in a neighboring community, with assistance from the MARBC. Pastors Scott Snyder (South Baptist Church, Flint) and Shane Miller (Montrose Baptist Church, Montrose), along with Montrose deacon Bob Mosser, share about this exciting partnering approach.

Ken Floyd announced at the conclusion of the session that there are additional prospective church reboot partnerships under consideration. Churches and pastors are encouraged to contact the MARBC office to learn how they can be involved in this important ministry endeavor.

2017 MARBC Conference highlights

Ken Floyd, MARBC Ministry Director, opened the initial session by sharing the vision of the Council of 16 in the planning of this year’s conference. “This year’s conference theme focuses upon the biblical church dynamics identified in the MARBC’s core values. We desire that the churches of our association will bring God great glory as they focus upon and implement these biblical principles. It is our prayer than this will be evidenced through individual local churches as well as through church partnerships regionally throughout our state. We pray that you will be challenged, encouraged, and strengthened as a result of your participation.”

MARBC Family Session

The MARBC family session on Monday afternoon included a report from Executive Ministry Director Ken Floyd, the approval of the 2018 budget, and the election of three new Council of 16 members for a 3 year term (2018-2020). Newly elected members are:

Bill Abernathy, Berean Baptist Church, Portage
Nathan Pierpont, Northeastern Baptist Church, Kalamazoo
Chris Weeks, Kent City Baptist Church, Kent City

2018 Council of 16

At large members, 3-year terms (term expiration year)

Tom Townsend, Calvary Baptist Church, Battle Creek (2018)

Doug Crawford, West Cannon Baptist Church, Belmont (2018)

Marc Herron, First Baptist Church, Caro (2018)

Jeff Burr, Forest Hills Baptist Church, Grand Rapids (2019) Vice Chairman

Dave Sill, Shelby Road Baptist Church, Shelby (2019) Chairman

Mark Cizauskas, First Baptist Church, Rochester (2019) Treasurer

Bill Abernathy, Berean Baptist Church, Portage (2020)

Nathan Pierpont, Northeastern Baptist Church, Kalamazoo (2020)

Chris Weeks, Kent City Baptist Church, Kent City (2020)

Regional representatives (selected by their regional associations)

Steve Ayers, Faith Baptist Church, Benzonia (Northern)

Scott Church, Trinity Baptist Church, Muskegon (Western)

Phil Devaney, Britton Bethel Baptist Church, Britton (Southern)

Jerry Diserens, Evangel Baptist Church, Taylor (Eastern)

Aaron Hadley, First Baptist Church, Edmore (Central) Secretary

Lewis Hague, Blessed Hope Baptist Church, Escanaba (Upper Peninsula)

The MARBC welcomes Grace Baptist Church in Marshall

The MARBC messengers welcomed a new sister church, Grace Baptist Church in Marshall, into the association during the Monday business session. Brandon Crawford, Grace’s pastor, received the right hand of fellowship from the Council of 16 during the Monday evening service. Brandon and his wife Melanie have served at Grace since 2010.

Brandon recently authored a book on the life and ministry of Jonathan Edwards, “Jonathan Edwards on the Atonement: Understanding the Legacy of America’s Greatest Theologian.” He recently presented a paper titled, “Jonathan Edwards on the Nature of True Religion”at the Reformation Conference held in Detroit and at the Southern MARBC Association meeting.

Church Security Options

We encourage the MARBC family to continue your prayerful support of the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, as well as the affected families, community, and those in law enforcement and government positions.

The continuing security risks for churches has caused many church leaders to contact the MARBC office seeking options for practical ministry assistance. Here are two options for your prayerful consideration.

Church Strong Consultants.

Today’s volatile culture demands that pastors and churches take practical precautions for the safety of those who participate in their ministries. Ken Floyd recently had the opportunity to talk with the representative of a helpful ministry that is designed to assist churches in such an endeavor.

Church Strong Consultants John Murdoch and Laird Baldwin are both experienced pastors, as well as trained and experienced law enforcement chaplains. Brother Murdoch spent many years leading the Chaplaincy Commission for the GARBC. As members of the Ohio Crime Prevention Association, they are trained in crime prevention and threat assessment. They evaluate a church’s safety and security needs with a pastor’s understanding and perspective.

Church Strong Consultants offers a six-hour seminar and 64-page manual, “Thinking Through Church Security.” The seminar consists of the following topics: Preparation, Awareness, Response, & Teamwork.

Church Strong Consultants prefers to come to your church and conduct seminars on Saturdays when possible, and through the week if necessary so as to avoid conflict with Sunday services. Seminars normally take seven hours.

Click here to access the Church Strong Consultants website

Click here to email consultant Laird Baldwin

Sheepdog Church Security.

Jim Barrett serves as the lead pastor of First Baptist Church in Carson City, MI. He also serves with the state and local law enforcement as a chaplain and firearm consultant. MARBC Ministry Director Ken Floyd recently talked with Jim about church security issues. Jim recommends that pastors and churches seriously consider the security risks they face. He recommends that churches consider support from a group such as Sheepdog Church Security.

The group’s website offers practical downloadable materials to assist in security evaluation. One such resource is “How to Plan an Active Shooter Drill: 10 Best Practices for Churches.”

Access the Sheepdog Church Security website

Veteran MARBC pastor Stan Lightfoot, Jr. in memoriam

Stanley Lightfoot, Jr.

Stanley Lightfoot Jr., a veteran MARBC pastor, entered the presence of his Lord and Savior on October 31 at the age of 95.

Stan was a veteran of World War II, having served in the U.S. Army Air Forces from January 1943 to November 1945 in the Cadet Flying Program and as radio mechanic. Following his honorable discharge, he was employed with the Detroit Post Office for 18 years and began a career in ministry in 1971.

Stan pastored Berea Baptist Church, Stevens Point, Wisconsin (as a missionary pastor with Continental Baptist Missions); Trinity Baptist Church, Ypsilanti, Michigan; Calvary Baptist Church, Wabash, Indiana; and Fellowship Baptist Church, Marine City (now East China), Michigan. This highly respected and much beloved servant of the Lord also served as interim pastor for a number of churches in Michigan over the last 25 years of his life.

He is survived by his wife of 76 years, Dorothy; his children, James, Donald, Stanley III, Ruth Rodenberg, and Lois Turner; 13 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, November 18.